Information processing apparatus, information processing method, alternate response apparatus, response method, control program, and network system

Abstract

A mechanism for enabling a computer which includes an installer for providing Plug and Play (PnP) to obtain information for a network device is provided. Using an existing development resource, such as a PnP installer, a simple installation method is provided. By causing a proxy server to as a communication intermediary between the computer and a peripheral device which is not in compliance with a predetermined management method, the peripheral device can be managed using the predetermined management method.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to information processing apparatuses for setting peripheral devices for performing predetermined processing through a network, to peripheral devices, to device processing methods, and to storage media.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]As a network infrastructure has been developed, network image processing apparatuses, such as network printers, scanners, and copy machines, have rapidly become widely used. Technology for searching a network for a device for offering various services over the network has been developed. One example of such technology proposed by Microsoft is referred to as Universal Plug and Play (hereinafter referred to as “UPnP”).[0005]When using a network peripheral device, such as a network printer, it is necessary to install beforehand, on a client (such as a personal computer) for using the printer, a corresponding driver, which has been registered and contr...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]In order to solve at least one of the foregoing problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for enabling a user or an administrator to install a control program for controlling a peripheral device connected to a computer through a network into the computer without adding many changes to existing development resources and without causing the user or the administrator to perform complicated operations.

[0010]It is another object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for using an existing local PnP installer in the computer in order to implement the above mechanism for installing the computer program into the computer without adding many changes to the existing development resources and without causing the user or the administrator to perform complicated operations.

[0012]It is another object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for causing, when a peripheral device connected to the network is not compliant with a predetermined management method, a proxy server for acting as an intermediary between the peripheral device and the computer to detect identification information of the peripheral device which is not compliant with the predetermined management method and to transmit the identification information of the peripheral device in a format compliant with the predetermined management method, so that the transmitted identification information can be used by the existing PnP installer.

Problems solved by technology

PnP installation is limited to locally-connected devices.

No technology has been developed for expanding the PnP technology to network devices.

When a plurality of management methods for managing network peripheral devices concurrently exists on the network, a management system compliant with a specific management method cannot recognize a peripheral device which is on the network and which is not compliant with the specific management method.

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